Embers of the Soul
by Anna I
Summary: Chieftain Komali led his people boldly into a new age of reconstruction. But before he was known as a powerful leader, Prince Komali faced trials of his own.
1. Chapter 1

Embers of the Soul

Chapter One

The sun was rising over the horizon, moving slowly across the early morning sky; and it seemed to glow less strikingly that morning, as if it realized the pain that would soon be evoked in the people of Dragon Roost Island. Shadows cascaded down the sides of the brown-earthed cliffs of the mountain, and the wind barely blew in through the doors that populated its side. Frothy waves splashed on the sands. The leaves of the palm trees hardly stirred. No creatures skittered around the long-dormant volcano. There was a mournful sort of silence that sat heavily across the entire island.

Only a handful of the feathered people were up now. One guard stood with a reluctantly straightened back in the upper hall of the island's main aerie, guarding a door that was near the mountain path that led to the people's esteemed deity, the dragon Valoo. The chieftain's personal guards stood inside the room. They kept an unsettled watch over the chieftain and his wife as they stood together, over the sole bed that rested there. Lying in that bed was the wife's mother- the prince's beloved grandmother. She had been alive just yesterday, tending to Valoo- she had been his best care-taker and friend, and a teacher and role-model to the many who she had been training to follow in her footsteps. On that last night, she spent time with the one who loved her the most, her grandson; her guidance to him had never waned once throughout those years. Yesterday had not been any different than the last hundreds of her final year. _Now, _thought the chieftain remorsefully, _She__ has flown without a last goodbye to any of us._

The chieftain's wife had covered her face and was sobbing as quietly as she could. Her husband had his wingless arm around her shoulders, the feathers only there in his mind to protect her.

The chieftain's face looked expressionless. He stood stiffly, dressed in his usual decorative red robe. He was the leader of his people, the proud and intelligent, bird-like Rito; and a strong one, revered by his people. He could not let this loss strike him too hard, for he would not be able to keep control of those soon-to-be dolefully lost. But the chieftain could not stand there and pretend that he didn't care. The wings of his mind that he had spread as a shield were protecting his wife as much as they were protecting himself. His hand squeezed his wife's shoulder and the chieftain gazed at her wet face. _If only I could grow the wings of the new generations… I__ would__ spread __them out and shield all of my people…_

Komali felt his arm being shaken lightly by a warm hand. His mother's voice called to him, but whatever it was she whispered did not bring any meaning. All of her soft-sounding words slipped out of his mind and mixed with the strange dream that he was having. A dream that seemed familiar; but why, he couldn't understand.

The room felt very toasty and inviting. The air was filled with a sweet, familiar scent; one of someone close. Orange light splashed every wall and object in that room… was it night that made everything seem to glow so brightly? No, it had been at noon. So much was orange that afternoon. The fire Valoo was blowing into the sky, the sky with the afternoon sun sinking down into the ocean… But something that Grandma was holding behind her back was the strongest light of them all.

"Komali, are you listening? Look at me, my little one. I have a present for you! Our great Valoo, who you will visit soon yourself, has given this present to me today. I want you to take it. It is a treasure very dear to my heart. I hope it will be the same to you." Grandma took the glowing orange object from behind her back and held it out to the young fledgling. He stared at it in fascination. It was a sphere, made of some unearthly crystal; and it glowed a living, fiery orange that reminded him of the lava Grandma had warned him to never come too close to by the hot spring. It somehow contained a symbol that, too, made him think of lava's smooth flow with its wavy lines of dark orange. He reached his small hands out to take it. It had good weight to it, and Komali almost dropped it on the floor.

His grandma laughed sweetly, "Be careful! It is only as strong as your dear grandma."

As soon as the glowing sphere was safely in his lap, Komali started feeling strange. A calm happiness began to seep into his skin, seemingly from the round object itself. He felt it warm up his body, and it touched something inside of him. The young prince felt so peaceful that he had even forgotten what his grandma said- that he would soon have to go to see Valoo.

A sudden darkness invaded his mind and fear came crashing through him. Komali started to gasp for breath as it took hold of his entire body. He stretched his arm out to grab for something in the blackness. The fall went quickly as he heard Grandma say her last words, "This is the Rito's sacred treasure… It is called Din's Pearl."

Komali yelped. The feeling that had gripped him began to slide away, but it left him feeling nervous. He looked around the room- his room, now- feeling dazed. His mother was there, by the side of his bed, tears streaming slowly from her eyes and down her pale face. For a second Komali thought he was still in the nightmare.

"Komali… are you awake now?" his mother called.

He shook himself, ruffling the feathers on his back and head.

"Yes, mama. What's wrong?" he asked.

"We have to go somewhere. To see your Grandma," she said with a worried tone.

Komali blinked, "Alright, sure. But why?"

His mother backed away a little and held out her hand.

"Let's go, Komali. Ok?"

Komali was still feeling confused. _What's going on…?_ He slowly pushed the thin blanket aside and lifted himself off of his bed. He walked over to his mother and took her hand, holding it tight. She led him out of his room with quick paces into the corridor, up the few steps by its end and turned right into the center of the aerie. It was early in the morning and the sun cast a pale light through the tall, thin windows above. Everything was so eerily silent and empty. The large circular pattern on the floor was hard to see, and in the fledgling's head the many rounded lines in it seemed to form a winding snake. Komali grabbed his mother's hand with both of his in fright. She continued to lead him, up the path that swirled around the sides of the building, going past the Mail Center. There wasn't a feather rustling to sort the early morning mail, even though the postmen should have been wrapped up in work by then. The red mail-boxes lay heaped in piles around the post desk.

They ascended to the floor above, which held the dormitories for the assistants to Valoo. Komali knew that his friend, and often care-taker, lived here. Her name was a sweet song on the tongue, Medli. She was training hard to be an assistant with his grandma, but it was rare when she did not give Komali her attention. The prince adored her. Medli was, he thought, the only person who took him seriously. But this was not who his mother had said they were coming to see; for living on this floor was also the teacher of all of the assistants-in-training: Komali's grandmother. His mother started to slow her pace as they approached this upper floor. He looked out from behind his mother's figure. There were his father's guards standing by his grandma's door, clad in their usual matching uniform and war paint. A few people were standing nearby- all with tear-stained faces. As they waited, two Ritos came out holding each other's hands. Their expressions matched what Komali saw in his mother. He became scared. Even though he couldn't imagine what might've happened, Komali felt sure it was something horrible.

His mother walked him to the door once the others left. The two guards looked down at the prince. They had been secretly watching Komali since he was brought near. Neither of them knew how much to say to him.

"Young Prince Komali," one of the guards spoke, "We are glad to see you so awake, and so young. ...Are we not, Akoot?

"Yes we are, Skett. Your father is inside this room waiting for you. He wishes to speak with you…" Akoot's voice died away into silence.

Komali looked up at them with big, round eyes. Their way of speaking he was used to; but there was something strange in their words. He let go of his mother's grasp and ran into the room, wondering what his father had to tell him and why everyone was acting so sad.

"Father!" Komali called out as he ran towards him. He caught his father by the leg and held on. The chieftain did not move; he only looked down at his son with sympathy.

The chieftain sighed. "Komali… did you love your grandmother very much?"

"Did? I do!" the boy's voice beckoned more explanation.

"Komali…" The chieftain turned around, and he kneeled down to match his son's gaze. His put his hands on his son's shoulders. "Your grandmother…she flew away from us in the night."

Komali furled his eyebrows. _What?_ _Flew away? Where?_

"Father, what do you mean…?"

The chieftain sighed. "Your Grandmother was very old. She was a strong woman. But did you see, as your flame grew brighter with each day, hers simmered down? Fire eventually turns into ash the longer it burns."

Komali still did not understand. Was this some sort of code? _Why isn't he telling me?_

The chieftain saw his words bore no meaning. He sighed again and removed one hand to rub his own forehead. "Komali… your grandmother… she has died."

Understanding rang in his head. Komali understood these words from when his grandma had explained why the flowers near the beach sometimes grew dull; when he had watched the fishermen bringing home their baskets and nets full of blue, motionless crabs.

Komali gasped and ran across the room, straight to his grandmother's bed. _She can't be dead! _A light blanket covered her bed, trailing off the edge and folding together on the floor- it was made of pale orange silk. Komali looked through the sheerness of the fabric. There, in her withered hands, a golden feather from the tail of a monster-bird, the kargorocc, was kept close to her heart.

"Grandma!" he cried and shook her shoulder with his little hand. But even as he did, he realized there was no use. She would never chime out another word.

Komali turned silent. His eyes began to fill with tears as he took one step away from the bed, then another. He stared at his grandma's lifeless body. _Grandmama__…_Komali burst out crying and wailing. Forlorn squawks escaped from his throat as he started to sink down towards the floor. Akoot and Skett rushed in, thinking from the sounds that someone was being attacked. The wife rushed to her boy's side and knelt by him, cradling him in her arms. Komali's cries grew softer as he slowly started to quiet down. His eyes closed, and his trembling stopped. The chieftain stood watching above with pained eyes as his son ceased to move.

The ritual was already starting. You could see the orange figure laid out on a nest, resting on the highest and final step of the cliff. The rest of the cliff, the long second step below it, was packed with mourning Ritos. _Soon the burning will start. Should __Komali__ watch?_ Medli pondered as she gazed out of her window, her head propped up heavily with the hand of her arm that rested on the window sill. Medli's long, red hair was trailing across her shoulder to the front. She took a few locks and absent-mindedly started to twirl them between her pale fingers. Medli was in her room, sitting on a chair at the foot of her bed where Komali was now sleeping. The chieftain had assigned Medli, as usual, to be the guardian of his son. It had not been the best of mornings, but she faithfully agreed. This was not the first death Medli experienced, so she viewed things differently; but it was Komali's first encounter. It would be hard for him. She had to be supportive. Besides, Komali was like a little brother to her- or maybe a nephew?

Just as her thoughts began flowing closer to the cliff, Medli caught out of the corner of her eye a glimpse of the prince's red irises. She turned her head away from the window and looked at him. His eyes had fluttered open once again in the hours that had passed. She watched, thinking that this would be yet another moment where he would blink, then fade back into deep sleep. Medli smiled a little as she looked at him. _Poor __Komali_. Medli felt sorry for the little prince, his small, frail figure lying limp on the bed. His white hair had not grown in yet- the entire back of his head was covered in brown hairs. He did not have his wings; and his eyes, as the saying goes, were still as large as his stomach. Komali held bunches of the blanket tight in his hands. _He is still so young,_ Medli mused. A hint of nervousness touched her mind- but she dismissed it.Just as Medli started to look back towards the window, she startled. Komali's eyes had turned. He was looking right at her through half-closed eyelids.

"Medli…" he cooed softly, "…what happened?"

"Komali! Oh, you're awake!" She jumped off her chair and got the bowl of fruit that she was instructed to give to him once he awoke. "Are you really awake now? How do you feel...? Do you think you can eat?" She took a pear out of the bowl and held it near Komali's face.

"Medli…" he pushed her hand lightly away, "What happened to me?"

Medli's gaze dropped. She put the bowl back on the table, but kept the pear, playing with it in her hands.

"Komali, you don't remember this morning… do you?"

At first he squinted his eyes in thought. Something had flashed by in his mind, but he did not catch it. The boy shook his head no. Medli screwed her mouth to the side. She had to figure out what to say to jolt the memory, but she had no idea what. No words could come out of her mouth that would evoke the memory, but not the pain. As she passed the pear from hand to hand, concentrating, Komali sat up in bed and tried to think too. He turned his head to the right, and the sun's rays touched his face gently. _The sun, a bright ball of fire…captured by the Goddess of Power; it made the red soil beneath our feet…_That was a line from a story he heard as a youngling. _Who read that to me? Wasn't it… _And just as the question entered his mind, the fog that had filled it lifted off. Komali remembered. The morning's shadow passed through him quickly, and he knew why he was there. But, now, he was too tired to react.

Komali turned back to Medli. She was about to say something to him finally, but only a small croak escaped before he interrupted.

The prince sighed, "I remember now."

Medli went over to him, carrying a sympathetic face. She placed the pear back on the table, then knelt down by Komali's bedside and hugged him around the neck. Komali hugged her back firmly but gently, in a child-like way that made her feel as if she was his only source of comfort and protection now. The tiny feeling of nervousness Medli had before twinged back to life. Komali put his head on her shoulder. She ignored the feeling. They held each other this way for what felt like so long. The young prince wondered how he would ever want to get out of that bed. He wanted to go back to sleep.

The sudden sound of singing broke through the air, and as the voice waved from high to low in its melodic dance, Medli let go and leaned across the bed to look out of the window. The song sounded vaguely familiar to the prince as he listened.

"Komali, they are saying goodbye to your grandmother out there."

His eyes grew wide. Medli turned her head towards him and extended a pale hand out. He hesitated, but Komali took her hand, and he pulled himself up to stand on his knees. He looked out of the window, past the flight deck where the postmen came and went, towards the cliff. So many Ritos were standing there, all facing the same way. Komali spotted the ritual singer standing at the top ledge of the cliff, dressed in white robes. A giant red symbol was emblazoned on the front. The singer's voice carried through the winds as he lifted his arms up and spread each and every beaming feather. His singing sounded like a small bird's song, but louder and deeper. It was like a cry, like pleading; like a prayer to the sky.

Komali folded his arms together on the sill and put his head on top. He listened closely, thinking that maybe he would hear a voice from the Goddesses calling to him. He wanted to be on that cliff between his father and mother, with Medli embracing him at his side.

The song ended on a sweet, flat note. While Komali kept gazing unaware at the procession, Medli realized what was coming next. She cringed. If she was going to take Komali away from the window, now would be a good time. _What can I do?! _Medli looked behind her at the room, seeking a distraction. _Maybe I can make something up, say that… that, err, he has to eat something to uh- commemorate his grandmother! Royal blood has to do that only, that's why others aren't doing it! Exactly! _Medli reached to grab the pear again, but stopped midway. She paused, trying to figure out her new feeling. _No… I- I can't teach him to hide from his fears._ She raised her arm instead, and put it around Komali's back. He looked up at her without turning his head. Then he snuggled deeper into his arms and looked back.

Two Ritos had stepped up to join the ritual singer. Even from far away, the fledglings could see that it was Skett and Akoot, each dressed in far fancier robes than usual- both a spectacular white, long lines of red and blue near the top that winded down and ended in large, over-lapping swirls near the bottom. Each royal guard held a long, wooden staff that had many wind-like swirls carved out of them. The guards now stood on opposite sides of the nest, the singer in between them. Komali's eyes widened and Medli's did as well, despite herself, at the sudden quickness in which everything happened. One of the guards cried out, saying something in an ancient language; all Medli understood of it was the word "Gods". The other guard then shouted something parallel to it, and both threw their staffs into the air. They caught each with one hand, then swung them close to the ground, nearly striking the top of the hard soil; the staffs were thrown again, and they spun high into the air, each forming a circle. They were caught, and swung, then thrown high up again. The guards alternated catching the staff with their left and right hands, but they mirrored each other in every action. With each throw the staffs seemed to gather more energy, one glowing blue while the other glowing red; and now the circles that they formed began to glow red and blue as well. Komali, in a trance, stood as straight as he could on his knees, and leaned further out of the window. His eyes were fixed to the scene.

The singer began to list his voice again in song. There was a sense of finality in the last throws of the staffs- you could hear the guards shout with effort as they lifted the now radiant beams into the sky. As they reached the peak in their energy the staffs slowed in a most unnatural manner, almost floating in mid-air. The beams seemed to hum out a deep melody of their own. The singer's voice grew louder. Medli wanted to close her eyes shut, but she kept them open, more than curiosity in mind. Akoot and Skett called something that was barely audible through the music. The two staffs regained their normal forces, and landed in the hands of their waiting masters. The guards both swung the beams hard at each other. They collided as an X in the air. A white burst of light exploded from the center, a miniature version of the setting sun above. _Here it goes,_ Medli thought, _Goodbye my wonderful teacher. May you find peace in a new life, as strong as __ever._A tear came to Medli's eye. The guards lowered the staffs on to the nest, keeping the X shape- and the white light touched the nest on the singer's final note.

Silence rang through the air. At first, you could not see a thing different. The guards pried the staffs apart and cried once more into the sky, and the magic energy dissipated into the air. Komali lifted his head up further with confusion. Medli ran her hand through the ends of Komali's hair- she wasn't sure why she did it, but it reassured him for a moment. He settled back down.

Flames burst forth from the nest, making the orange silk dance with the fire. The silk turned black instantly as it flickered upwards through the air. Komali jumped back. The fire, it was brightest near the woman's body; her great spirit fed the fire's growth and made it soar closer to the sky. Komali's eyes teared up. One small hand reached towards the light- he wanted to save his grandma from the fire. The golden sun that had stayed up with respect now began to dive into the ocean. His red eyes glazed over, the pupils retracted in horror. There was nothing the prince could do as he reached farther and farther out, growing hopeless with each stretch. Komali could not fly to her rescue. He gave up as the sky began to mimic the flames, the shine in his eyes. The young prince felt the impact of the heavens above crash on his shoulders. Valoo, the great spirit of the sky, roared deeply in remorse; the dragon blew a fiery blaze across the fast-approaching night air. The prince's heart grew heavy. He slumped down, and folded his arms again. There was no point in hoping for a miracle. Tears glided down Komali's soft, dark cheeks.

_And I didn't say goodbye…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He sighed. The ball passed from one hand, to the other hand. One hand, to the other hand. One hand, to the other hand. The young prince's bedroom was irritatingly silent. Komali was sitting on the cold floor, rolling his straw-woven ball back and forth between his feet; alone. He huffed, shoving the ball away from him, "This is boring…" The ball rolled across the length of the straw carpet and hit the stone wall, bouncing off noiselessly and rustling one of the golden feathers that hung around the room. Komali stared at it, waiting. The ball just sat there, staring back.

"It's just not the same..." Komali frowned and laid down on his side, abandoning his less-than-entertaining game. His attention turned to the wall near his bed. The piles of yellow ducky dolls up on Komali's dresser shelf were staring down at him, expressionless. _Grandma made those._ Komali rolled over to his other side. Now the gray wall was there to provide no amusement. No one had come to really visit him for a few days. _Well, except Medli…_ And his mother bringing him food every few hours or so did not count. Nobody had been there to pass the ball back, or make funny noises as it rolled around and crashed. _Or to tell me a story,_ he thought sadly. It was not just his grandma (which couldn't really be helped), or the rest of the people who had once been glad to come see the young prince. Medli would normally be here by now, keeping him company. _How long has it been already? _He rolled on to his back, hands folded together on his stomach. Komali had woken up this morning as usual, very early; right before the crack of dawn. Mama had come down to help him get dressed; she did so in the prevailing silence of the dark. Afterwards Mama would bend down and brush the hairs away from his forehead with her trembling hand. She would kiss Komali's dusty brown head, and say the same thing as the last few days:

"You should go play outside, Komali. The weather is fair." His mama would leave him with a half-hearted smile, her head kept staring down at the ground.

Komali shifted his head to look around the rest of the walls. His room was built deep into the side of the mountain and no window could provide a view of the sun's path. At the thought of sunshine, Komali began to remember life outside of the aerie. The pale sand cushioning his taloned feet as he walked by the shore; and the salty sea water sending a chill up his spine as it splashed his legs. He would laugh. All of the warm light from the sky made his hair sparkle and one side of his body would nearly glow with heat. Komali could feel the taste of salty, fresh air in his mind. Then his mother's words suddenly resurfaced.

The prince scowled. "I'm not going to leave, you know," Komali snapped back at the room. He glared at the ceiling, trying to get some reaction from it. Komali waited, arms crossed. His words soured in the air. A feeling of being forgotten slowly crept over him.

Komali sprawled his arms across the floor in exasperation.

"Well? Is anyone going to come?"

He really didn't mean to sound quite as annoyed as he did. His own impatience and disquietude would have made him ashamed, had the walls not gotten offended first. A humming sound began to attack the prince from above. It moved in one mass above Komali's head and seemed to get closer and closer through the walls. Although it was still relatively quiet, Komali panicked and scrambled up to his feet, staring at the ceiling. The prince prepared to run for his life and beg for mercy. Someone quickly swung the door open (and let in three seconds of very loud-voiced chattering), almost shoving the prince back to the floor.

"Komali, Komali!" Medli sang, her hands clasped tight to her heart.

Komali felt relieved. "Huh? What's happening? Why are they being so loud?"

Medli's eyes were full of wonder. There was definitely an interesting story to tell.

"Something amazing happened! Well, not exactly amazing, I mean… it must've made that boy pretty sad, but…Oh, whoops! You want to know, right? Let's sit and I'll tell you."

Komali began to feel a growing excitement. In part, it was because of his small hope that anything might have to do with grandma, with her coming back somehow. But besides that, he could never deny a visit from Medli.

"Okay," he nodded.

Komali sat down cross-legged on the carpet and Medli kneeled down to join him. She smoothed her skirt out in quiet concentration, trying to recollect the story in full. Komali waited, but he was tempted to shove her into telling the story.

Medli started, a smile spread across her face. "Do you know the postman, Quill? He works with your father a lot."

Komali nodded. He had often seen them talking together. Quill had the standard build for a Rito postman; slim but tough. His white hair straightened to a near point on the upper back of his head. The expression on Quill's face constantly seemed to be one of serious concentration; but without the downward-slanting, red lines painted across each eyelid he was actually a very friendly looking fellow. Komali wondered about the postman's true role and his importance.

"Quill is one of the best postmen in the crew. Your dad put him in the morning crew, did you know?"

The morning mail often grew to huge proportions, due to the post office picking up but not delivering mail after sundown (except to select clients). Komali vaguely remembered this from a few lessons on his people's main role in the world. His father gave him the basics. Grandma, as usual, stopped to answer Komali's questions. It's probably how he learned most of what he did as a fledgling.

Medli continued, "This morning, Quill was assigned to go to an island far, faaar away from here; to the south west. It's called Outset Island."

O

Quill stood on the flight deck, the morning breeze stroking his dark skin. He adjusted his belts, making sure the mailbag fit correctly, and patted down the skirt of his purple tunic. Other Rito postmen stood waiting patiently but somewhat sleepily on the landing decks nearby. One postman walked between them, administrating final check-throughs before lift-off. The air was a little chilly that morning, yet it was not too unfriendly to the skin. The sun was still waking up on the other side of the island, and a dark, sleepy shadow rested across the deck. _The shade certainly isn't helping anyone,_ Quill thought as he shook himself up a bit. He rolled his shoulders, stretching his back and wings. A friend of his stood on the long landing strip to the right, being checked. Quill was the second to last. Once the last man was cleared they would fly out. Never all at the same time, though, to save any embarrassing crashes into the cold surf below (but the idea amused Quill; a small smirk appeared on his face imagining it).

Sudden tugging on his mailbag alerted Quill back to the task at hand. He stood up straight and moved his arms forward. A quick rustling of envelops and a satisfied "mm-hmm" came from behind him. The postman asked:

"Where have you been instructed to deliver?" This was asked for each flight to make sure people weren't dosing off; or haven't been, on that note. It was rarely asked to verify where the mail was going. The officials who worked in the post office kept more than adequate track of such things.

"Outset, and the surrounding isles in a one-quadrant radius," Quill recited.

"Ok. You're clear to fly." The postman closed the delivery bag and patted it confirmingly with his hand. A few scratches of pen on a clipboard and he moved on.

Quill paused in thought, his head raised up. _This island I'm going to… Outset. Was there not something about a messed-up delivery?_ He crossed his arms as the details slowly came to him.

"Oh," He said to himself, remembering. Quill turned right to face his friend. "Hey! Do you remember that huge crate we got awhile ago filled with swords? The one that was addressed to a single person?"

His friend turned towards Quill and chuckled. He was picturing the dumbstruck faces of the post officials when they read the mail-order form that asked to have the swords air-shipped on their final route- to an island hundreds of miles south-west.

"Haha, yes I do. What happened to that shipment?"

"Nothing as of yet. It's just sitting in the storage room, collecting dust. I'm going to the island of the man who ordered them, however," Quill smirked.

"And we know what that means for you," his friend laughed. Both he and Quill knew all too well the many complaints that could be thrown at them by, simply put, a bothersome and ignorant customer.

"Ok, crew! You're all cleared for flight." The Rito who had checked them off now called their attention, speaking his orders loudly. "I expect no screw ups from any of you- we've got to get back on schedule and catch up on this lag mail we've accumulated since the funeral. Once each of you return, expect to be sent on a second round. We have a lot of mail to ship," The postman tapped his pen on the clipboard for a second and muttered, "Gods bless the old lady." He stepped back and watched as each postman lifted himself up into the air and flew off one by one into the sky.

_The first time you beat your wings in the morning is such an accustomed-to, yet bizarre feeling. In the back of his mind, he could feel a silent fear each time he propelled himself upwards. Would his wings be strong enough that day, could they handle the stress of his body and the load on his back? Would they give out suddenly and leave him at the mercy of the vast sea? Of course, these were things one was trained to suppress. Quill knew more than well that he was in top physical shape and that his wings were large and strong. Thinking back to his youth, however, he had not been sure, or trusting, even, of either fact. He cringed slightly at the thought of his first climb to the top of Dragon Roost. His parents and the chieftain had great expectations- they had placed a lot of belief in him._

_Quill looked down for a second. There was the muddled shape of a bird, and not a man- a large bird that made the figures of seagulls surrounding him look like the smallest of larks. His image warped as it flew over the rolling hills of blue. Quill felt a silent, strange sort of awe. _This is what the fledglings should dream about.

_The postman fanned his wings and flew on ahead. He raced to do his job alongside the sun._

Outset was now rapidly approaching. Quill flattened out his wings to glide easily through the wind as it carried him forward. He could see the outline of the two connected islands, and they cleared up as he zoomed in closer. He had flown here many times and was familiar, in a sense, with its inhabitants. The people here were welcoming and generous, if not somewhat simple. As Quill saw it, they lived with no true fear in their small houses; going through daily trivial matters that seemed to them only of high importance. Outset sure seemed the best example of a land at peace in this confused age.

As the miles of sparkling blue sea beneath him began to slow into mere yards, Quill beat his wings faster and stretched his feet out towards the beach below. He liked to play a little game with his landings: see if you can land on the wet sand without getting attacked by a ferocious, small wave. Quill aimed for a wide spot of wet sand. As he lowered, he was sure he'd land dry. His clawed feet inched closer and closer to the ground. There! He landed- and then he squawked in surprise as his feet got covered in a rush of cold water.

"Eh," Quill shrugged. He went on his way up the slope to the red postbox, shaking his feet free of sand once he reached the grass.

The sun's rays finally began to warm his face. Above was a clear blue sky with perfectly painted white clouds, and you could almost hear a joyful song playing through the air. It seemed to Quill as if this song was playing each time he came by. If there had been any time he wanted to be able to whistle, it was right now.

Two pigs were running about, grazing on grass. A man kneeling down near a bunch of palm trees seemed to be stalking one of these pigs; he would rise up occasionally to check how close it was, then duck down quickly into the tall grass. Standing on the balcony of one house was an old man with an unusually large head and an equally large, white beard staring out at the ocean. He held a tall wooden staff that he waved left and right. The old man jumped as a kid with a shock of blonde hair and a strange green outfit (comprising of a green tunic and a long, green hat) ran past. The old man called something to him. The kid skidded to a halt and turned around, looking up. He quickly waved his hand at the old man and turned right back to running to the other island across the bridge. Quill walked past it all and stepped casually over one of the grazing pigs as he reached the postbox. A pretty girl with blue hair that was balancing a small jar on her head stopped him and asked in a sweet voice if there were any letters for her today. Quill apologized and explained to her as kindly as he could that there were far too many letters to stand there, back twisted, filtering through all of them. She smiled her sympathy and obliged-

"Oh, okay then. I'll just have to check the postbox again later. Have a nice day, Mr. Postman." She re-adjusted the jar on her head and continued to walk. Where she was walking, he could only guess. _She must have passed the postbox three times so far_, judging from what he saw while still in the air.

Quill checked the postbox quickly for any mail. Finding none, he started shoving thick packs of letters in. _This sure felt lighter on my back… _He released the last of them and checked to make sure that there weren't any letters left hiding in the pockets of his mailbag.

He was suddenly tapped on the shoulder. A weird wheeze came from behind and he turned around.

"Hey, you! Postman! I was wondering if you have any swords with you. They're for me. I'm Orca." The strange old man held a chipped spear and had a rather round beer belly. The man squinted his pale beady eyes at Quill.

"Sir, I know which package you speak of. I am sorry to say, but I cannot deliver it to you in the—"

"Whaaat?!" Orca stepped back in shock. "But I've waited so long for those swords! What happened? Why can't you deliver them?!"

"Sir, if you cannot imagine why it would be a hazard for me to fly multiple heavy and very sharp objects to you, please allow me to explain…" Quill forced back mild irritation and amusement in his voice. "Have you-" Something disturbed the air. There was a sudden uproar in the village and people began shouting and screaming as if it was the end of days.

"It's a monster!!" a man shouted nearby, his voice partly cut off by the sound of a large caw. Orca wheezed in surprise and ran to the old big-head's house, shouting at others to run to safety. Quill looked around quickly, scanning the island. _What monster? Where…? _

As if on cue, a woman screamed, "In the sky! There's a giant bird in the sky! It thinks our houses are nests!!"

Quill looked up. In the air was a behemoth of a bird, flashing dark blue and gold in the sky. Its cries of anger caused tremors in the island. Instantly Quill freaked out. He flapped his wings frantically, trying to get up and away -in case the woman had guessed the truth. He flew to the straw roof of the tallest house, conveniently nearby. He surveyed the scene from this high perch. Quill spotted a pirate ship chasing after the bird, going full speed towards the island. Canon balls were firing from the ship with deafening booms right at the beast. _What is wrong with them?! There's a village here! If they miss, that steel will crash right on top of it!_ Quill squinted at the bird, trying to find any signs of treasure on it that would give the pirates reason to go so mad. _No gold or jewels…wait- there, in its claws! _The beast had captured a young girl of some apparent importance to the pirates- perhaps some dame of the captain's? As the bird flew over the island, the pirates fired one last canon ball that whizzed dangerously through the air. Its shrill whistling attracted the bird. It turned around and froze. Its jaw gaped in horror as the steel ball soared straight at it- BANG! - It hit the bird square in the beak. The noise reverberated through the sky. Quill watched in fascination (and mild sympathetic pain) as the bird danced drunkenly through the air and somewhat gently deposited the girl from his claws and into the forest atop the mountain. The bird fell somewhere behind the island, but he didn't see where.

Some of the braver villagers who had stayed out to watch the live entertainment now ran back into their houses. The pirate ship adjusted its course and sailed over slowly to the other island of Outset, near the look-out tower. _So much for a prime example of peace,_ Quill grimaced. From experience, he knew that the next few minutes of after-shock could prove to be exciting as well. He folded his arms and kept his eyes peeled as awkward silence invaded the scene for a moment.

Movement caught Quill's eyes. His head turned to look down at the village. Out of the same house where the two old men apparently lived, a familiar character emerged. It was the same blonde-haired kid with the green tunic and long, green hat who ran past there earlier. Quill now recognized his face from previous deliveries to Outset- the boy was called Link. Quill locked his eyes on him.

Link was running over the bridge and soon reached the other island- He ran straight across to the look-out tower and climbed up its long ladder. Quill saw a small girl standing at the top, her hair blonde like the boy's. Her gaze kept flipping from the boy to the mountain forest. Link quickly talked to the girl. She rushed him away. He went down again, and followed the path across the deck and to the mountain. The path curled up and around the mountain, and soon it disappeared along with the boy behind its rocky face. Quill waited, knowing the boy had to appear somewhere at the top to enter the forest; and he was right- soon he spotted the kid at one side of the mountain, running (and half jumping, strangely) across the suspended bridge. Without hesitation, Link ran right into the forest. _What could be in that young head? But I admire his courage. _

_Quill felt a twang in his memory, something about a young boy, but unlike this one. He kept getting an image in his head that gave Quill the same sense of his home island. _That reminds me._ He hadn't discovered what the hidden thought was, but he did remember to write himself a note of excuse. He got out a small red book and a red quill pen from his mailbag and proceeded to explain the delay and the sudden attack on the island. _

_Quill paused occasionally in thought as he wrote the account. In one of these moments, he noticed the pirate ship had docked, clumsily, near the bottom deck of the look-out post. A burly but slow-looking pirate jumped off of the ship's side, with gleaming cutlass in hand, and began running up the same path the kid had followed earlier. Quill's eyes turned automatically towards the bridge. A few seconds later the pirate appeared and started running across it. Out of nowhere, the pirate tripped- _No, his foot fell through the bridge! Ha, a gap._ The cutlass flew out of the pirate's hand and fell a long, long way down. It clinked against the tall rocks below, and landed -sploosh- in the water. The pirate smacked his head against the bridge. Remembering his quest suddenly, he lifted himself up, and walking carefully to avoid more possible gaps, crossed over into the forest._

_Quill chuckled. The red book quickly got filled in with the clumsy pirate's plight. _

Curious, Quill stood up and flew over to the forest and watched.

Minutes later, the pirate captain Tetra ran out of the forest, followed by her now thoroughly freaked-out pirate matey, who had stood there watching as his captain fell out of a tree. Behind them was the brave lad in green. Hardly anyone noticed, but the boy had slayed, for the first time in his young life, several frightening beasts that most people never caught a glimpse or disgusting whiff of. It didn't matter though- his heroic deed was done. The pirates stood on the cliff searching for something, and the boy joined them.

A cry rang through the air: "Brooootheerr!" Everyone looked across the bridge. Standing on the opposite side was the same young girl who had been up at the look-out tower.

The boy perked up and laughed, waving at his little sister. She giggled in return and began running across the bridge.

Quill watched from his new perch at the look-out tower. _Aw. …I hope she sees that gap._ It seemed a happy ending to a most random event. Quill looked down at the island, glad to see that the Goddess of Fate decided to keep things normal here for a little while longer. The people started to come out of their homes, and the pigs ran out from their hiding place in the bushes. Seagulls circled around, calling to their family with word of the safe skies.

He sighed. Then Quill's eye caught something. "What?" he gasped. It was like a nightmare returning- the ominous, dark blue cloud came from behind the far end of the other island and floated there for a second. It beat its heavy wings and flew up, looking around. _Ugh, they can't see it! I've got to warn them!_ Quill stepped one foot on to the railing and prepared to fly over as fast as he could; but it was too late. The giant bird spotted the pirate girl. With a powerful swoop it flew towards the bridge- far faster than Quill could ever manage. Its cry split across the island once more. Tetra and the others tried to hide, but the little girl on the bridge didn't notice somehow. _Duck!_ Quill shouted in his mind. The pirate girl was going to get captured again, this time for good. As the huge beast neared the bridge it stretched its claws outward. _Wait a sec-_ Quill shot his hand out as if to get the child before it could, but he was late again. The monster had grabbed the little girl, Link's sister. She screamed in terror as the bird swung around and began flying away from the island. The boy leaped up. He ripped out his sword and shield and ran across the cliff- as if he was chasing after the bird. _No, stop running! You can't fly! _Once again Quill prepared to take flight to stop the inevitable; but he was beaten to it (almost ironically). As the boy tripped over the edge, the pirate Tetra lunged after him and grabbed his hand, carefully avoiding the sword that now waved near her face. The boy struggled at first, trying to be freed. Tetra must have reasoned with him, for the boy's struggles soon stopped. He was pulled up with the help of the other pirate back on to the ledge. The kid sighed. His face was crestfallen.

The last of the newly-composed letters now sat in his delivery bag- obviously this was an event worth telling everyone about. Quill turned away from the post box and looked out at the pirate ship that had re-docked by the beach.

Those pirates deserved a bit of a lecture, as Quill saw it. Although, true, their captain saved the boy's life, it was still also true that they behaved rather recklessly. Somehow that argument felt like it would go no where when used against pirates. Still, Quill marched right up to where the burly pirate who had tried to be a hero earlier and a comically shorter, scrawnier one both stood with their captain Tetra. Link was there as well.

"That bird took my sister! I have to save her, no matter what you say. You know where it's going, so I'm going to join you," Link said with determination.

"What?!" Tetra gasped and took a step back- _What is this kid thinking?_ "You want to come with us on our ship?! Do you understand what you're asking? We're pirates! You know… PIRATES! The terror of the seas!" She scoffed, "What do we get out of bringing some helpless little kid along with us? I'll tell you what we get… a headache.

_Oh boy_, thought Quill, rolling his eyes.

A few minutes and a good argument later, Quill had earned Link the right to dare the seas with the pirates, under the agreement that Link would at least find some good weaponry. The eagerness was written all over Link's face.

"Oh, and one more thing," Captain Tetra started again, "Once we leave, you won't be coming back here for awhile, so you'd better go say good-bye to your family while you have the chance. I don't want you getting all weepy-eyed and homesick on me." Tetra crossed her arms and stared at Link impatiently.

The pirate had struck another of Quill's last nerves. He mirrored her cross-armed and annoyed stance. Quill felt deep regret for not being of much help, and yet here Tetra stood with an annoyed disposition. But young Link nodded gratefully to her anyway. As the boy turned to rush off somewhere, Quill laid his hand on his shoulder to pause him.

"This is a terrible situation, Link. I'm truly sorry. Unfortunately, I can't go in your stead…" he grimaced.

Link smiled appreciatively, understanding.

"But if anything happens, please come to my island north of here- Dragon Roost. I will do what I can to aide you." Quill paused, "Don't worry about your home while you're gone. If anything bad happens, I promise to bring word of it to you. I swear it!"

O

"So Link is on his dangerous quest right now, sailing across the wide sea to save his little sister. Doesn't he sound brave?" Medli giggled, "I wonder if I'll ever get to meet him."

Komali felt a small heaviness in his chest. Medli had gone off listening to tales of a brave, sword-wielding, hero kid or something, while he, the prince, had to sit in his solitary room for hours doing nothing. _That isn't fair._ The prince's mood sunk in again, but Medli did not seem to notice his subtle frown.

Komali let much of the story slip out of his mind afterwards. All of the excitement Medli had started to paint seemed to mix together and run off the page, leaving something only she found enjoyment in seeing. Komali's dulled red eyes trailed around the floor. He noticed a millipede crawling across the floor. It seemed like a baby version of the magtails that he heard lived up in the volcano. Komali was tempted to grab it. He started to reach after it, but suddenly felt a silence that told him to look up.

Medli had gently folded her hands in her lap. "Isn't it sad, though? I can't imagine how hard it must be to leave his own island…" She cocked her head to the side, with an expression of genuine concern.

"Hmph," Komali grumbled under his breath. He let the millipede be.

Medli continued talking about the little side stories Quill told. Komali watched the millipede crawl into a hole in the wall as he half heard Medli talk about the island. When the millipede crawled back out of the hole it was joined by another. His eyes fixed on the two in fascination. Link sure seemed to fascinate Medli. The two creatures danced around in circles for awhile. Then the millipedes crawled up the wall into a crack in the ceiling and disappeared.

"Komali?" A hand rested softly on his shoulder. The boy raised his head. Medli looked confused; concern set in her eyes. Komali stared at her and completely paused. Previously stranded thoughts were jumbled together in his mind, and the fledgling didn't know which to act on first. An odd fear struck him. The prince felt… Was it shame?

Again Medli spoke, "Were you listening? What do you think will happen to the hero boy?"

Komali's stare stayed transfixed on Medli for a second longer before he burst back into motion.

"Huh?" His eyes widened in surprise at first, but he quickly sank down back down and blushed in realization of what he just did. "I don't know… Maybe he's not that brave," Komali stumbled for a decent response. Finding none better that expressed his feelings, and not wanting to express his thoughts, the prince stood up and began to back away to his bed. "Maybe the pirates are really mean… Maybe they'll eat him, or something…" Komali's hands grabbed at the mattress. "Or maybe they'll all just be eaten by a sea monster. I don't know." He scrambled up on to the bed. Medli was about to laugh and tease Komali about having such negative views.

The prince spoke first. "Listen, Medli, I want to be alone for a little while. Okay? I just don't feel like seeing anyone." The prince crossed his arms and legs, shrinking into his own embrace. The lit lamp above caused a shield of shadows to cover his face.

Medli felt like she had been passed by a close friend without recognition. "Huh?" She blinked in confusion. _What just happened?_ The thought brought no answer. _I don't understand…_ The initial surprise washed away. As weird as his behavior became, Medli decided he was just feeling a bit down. Then again, Komali had never asked her to leave his side before.

She shrugged. "Okay, Komali. But I still think he'll save her."

The prince lifted his eyes. The expression Medli wore as she left caused a horrible pang in his heart. Komali's body jerked to get up and hug her, to tell her he was just kidding. But the prince stayed put. He felt hurt; although he wasn't sure how. But the desire to be alone again overrode his worries for the girl.

Medli shut the door and did not return for the rest of the day. His fleeting wish had been granted.

Komali made a short, heaving sound. He loosened his muscles and fell back on the bed, arms and legs sprawled out. The embrace he had made around himself had been comfortable, though. Komali rolled over and brought his arms and legs close. His clasped hands supported his head underneath. At first Komali couldn't think.

Then his mind traveled aimlessly, somewhere in the background.

Komali stopped to wonder what would happen with the hero kid. In his mind he saw a vast, blue sea; the view partially closed off by graying clouds. There were the foggy shapes of islands in the distance. In the middle of all of the blue was a speck of red: a small boat. He was too far away to see who was in it. Komali tried to break through the clouds and fly closer. But the boat sailed out of sight. It impressed a bit of hopelessness into him. Darkness fell on the world as Komali closed his eyes.

* * *

Author's Notes!

This is a slightly edited version of the original Chapter Two (it had to be done). Original readers: no worries, nothing major. New readers? Enjoy! But here are some of the reviews I got for the last version:

The Final Countdown:  This is a cool story. It's hard to find good windwaker fics, so this has been really refreshing. Keep it up!

Dark Raku:  Good story, it is very interesting to seents of different charecters, or the smae events trhough thier eyes. You writing style is god and stroy flows nicely. I hope you countinue this soon.

Nomad Soldier:  Great fanfic so far. Your story doesn't seem to need a lot of dialouge, and you have a really nice way of describing the character's surroundings. It's got a sad, but compelling feel to it. Good job, I'm looking forward to the next chapter!

RuKiA RoJaS:  Really interesting I can't wait for next chap :D

SoulSpectar:  Nice. Very nicely done. I love how you put those two tales together, the game and your version of the old ladys death. Not surprised that they were mixed, but i love how you did it.

And by the way, it doesnt seem like 11 pages but then again this makes it seem shorter but wow.

Wow.

Again, nicely done and i can't wait to read the next chapter!

ApplePai:  Eek! I love the ritos. Medli'd always been one of my favorite characters from the Wind Waker. I like your story so far. (there could be more dialouge though mabey, but it's still really well writen! It's better than I could do.)  
E. Komali is so cute... And I always thought there were more people on the island than what they showed too so that doesn't bother me.

I hope you update soon!  
-Pai


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"So, do you want me to tell the news to everyone?" Quill stood across from the chieftain, an ornate desk piled with papers between them. His arms were crossed and he wore a smile that was poorly concealing his excitement.

The chieftain stood upright, his arms hanging down together as a V. He wore his customary gray robe and a bright red cloth hung over his shoulders, like a cape worn both ways. Despite his intimidating stature and build, the Rito leader managed to appear friendly. He had an amused expression, a smile curled from under his beak. He nodded his head firmly.

"Of course!" he said, "Our people have been hungry for more details about this boy and his quest, as have I been." He nodded his head again, seeming to agree with something in his own mind. "Link was his name, you said?"

"It is," Quill replied.

"Then it is all settled." The chieftain raised his arms out, "If Link does come to visit us, as you proposed, then let the people know that they are free to assist him however they can. The young hero is welcome here!"

Quill nodded and smiled, and walked out.

"Good afternoon, Medli," the postman said to the girl as she bounded past into the meeting room.

"Oh, good afternoon, Quill!" She replied, looking behind.

The postman stopped briefly, "Come find me at the post office later if you wish to hear today's news. Something interesting has come up. Ask the other apprentices to come, too."

"I will. Thank you!" She bowed her head, taking another step backwards into the room.

"Medli?" the chieftain called.

"Oh!" The girl twirled around and bowed, her hair following. "I'm sorry. I wish to speak with you."

"It is alright. I meant no offense either," he smiled, "What is worrying you?"

Medli looked to the side and wrung her hands together, studying the statues that stood against the wall. They stared at the opposite wall indifferently. "Well…" she started, "Have you been to see Komali recently?"

The chieftain frowned a little. "Yes," He paused, "But he was asleep. …He didn't seem to be having a good dream." The chieftain hung his arms to the side.

"How is Komali doing now?" he asked.

"Well, I'm a bit worried about him…" Medli thought carefully. She didn't want to exaggerate. "I was talking to him the day before yesterday. I told him Quill's story. But, um…" She looked to the side again. The chieftain raised his eyebrows slightly, waiting for her to continue.

Medli lowered her gaze to the floor. "For some reason he got upset. I don't know if it was the story or something else…" She shrugged, "He didn't seem to really be paying attention to it, anyway."

Medli looked up at the chieftain, "When I went to see Komali yesterday he was acting the same way. He just seemed sad, but…"

The chieftain's shoulders slumped a little. "This is troubling… But I should have expected it," he mumbled.

Medli watched him. She felt sympathy for Komali's father. The chieftain stared at the stone ceiling, his golden eyes asking it something. Then he turned around to face the cabinets behind him.

"I understand how much Komali's grandmother meant to him. She was indeed a special woman," he paused, and went to the smallest cabinet, sitting on a table. It was shut by a heavy-looking lock.

"Komali will have to go to the top of Dragon Roost soon to receive his scale from the Great Valoo. A challenging climb for any young fledgling. And he will need to truly earn his wings."

"Unlike your first ascent, Medli," he went on, "I will not have him escorted through the volcano's path." The chieftain rummaged for something in his robes. "There is no room for even a moment's hesitation or self-doubt within the depths of the boiling chambers-" His arms shifted about, "-if one is to make the journey successfully." Clank. The Chieftain placed the lock on top of the table, then carried a large chest to his desk.

He stopped before he opened it. The chieftain looked down at the girl. "I hold bottomless gratitude for the kindness you have always shown my son. That he trusts you so much shows how important you are in his life."

Medli blushed.

"His grandmother gave this to Komali as a present when he was a very small fledgling; when you were about his age now. It has not been very long since then, but I don't believe my son remembers much about that day," The chieftain began working the locks on the chest, "Yet I think something in his spirit will recognize it. Maybe it will ease his sorrows and give him strength."

The chieftain pushed the lid back. Orange light exploded from the chest. With both hands the chieftain gently lifted the opaque pearl and cradled it. Medli gaped. A familiar, strange feeling fleeted through her mind. Her hands became a little fidgety.

"Go to my son today. See if he is in good spirits. And when you go…" he stepped around the desk towards the girl, "Deliver this." The chieftain kneeled down and Medli carefully took the Pearl from his arms.

"I'm sure you know much about Din's Pearl. You can tell Komali all about it," The chieftain smiled briefly. He turned back and proceeded to lock the chest back in. Medli looked down at the orb in her hands. It looked like lava swimming safely inside a huge marble.

The chieftain looked back at Medli. He smiled at her mouth stuck open. "You may go now, if you wish…"

Medli looked up. "Oh! Right…" She bowed carefully, "Thank you for your trust. I'll bring it to him safe and sound." The apprentice walked quickly out of the room, hugging the Pearl close to her chest.

Komali's father watched Medli leave. He couldn't help but wonder about the future of his son.

-O-

The fire in the lamp danced alone, occasionally peaking down at the prince to see if he moved. Komali watched the bright flame with little interest. He had spent yet another day alone and bored, lying on the bed with his arms folded across his stomach and trying to think of something to do; but everything Komali thought of, he wasn't in the mood for. It was just like the fire. While it kept looking at him in curiosity, Komali felt none towards it. Just more background for his loneliness.

He did feel something else, but it almost bothered him more than anything. He had a longing to see Medli. She had only come to see him once yesterday, and he had been asleep. In the vague darkness of his room he had heard his door open and was surprised when he could recognize the breathing of who had opened it. He nearly burst out of his bed –the fear of another nightmare kept him awake- but the prince stopped himself. He could make out her shape moving to the opposite side of his bed.

Komali rolled over and moaned, feigning distress at some dream. Medli was stood quietly, observing him. She released her tension and sighed. Her hand, which loomed palely, reached out for the prince's arm. She stroked it once. The prince froze and Medli took her hand back.

"Poor Komali…" She muttered, her hands over her heart. He stayed frozen while she watched him for a moment longer. Then Medli bent down and kissed Komali on his head, and brushed his hair the way his mother had often done. Then Medli fled to the door, and peaking one last time at the prince, she left. He remained still until exhaustion caught him off guard.

But Komali pushed that away for now. He spent enough of yesterday thinking about that (over and over again). It was starting to annoy him. Medli had done that before. Nothing new. He just wanted her to come back, that's all.

Komali rolled over and hugged his stomach. Maybe she would decide to visit him today. She couldn't have been that insulted when Komali told her to leave; he had tried to be nice about it, too! Unease forced itself into Komali's stomach. He dug his head deeper into the pillow.

Besides, Medli promised she would never leave him.

His vision blurred to life. The reds and earthy colors of Komali's room flickered slowly. He blinked a few times and set things straight. Sleep had decided to relieve him of his boredom again. Komali rolled onto his back. _Why couldn't I just sleep the whole day?_ He thought, annoyed at suddenly waking for no reason. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. Yet somehow he couldn't bring himself to frown. Komali lay patiently on his bed as if expecting something any minute.

He concentrated quietly on his lantern, still flashing its light across the stone ceiling. The colors blurred again, mixing into strange circle of lights and darks.

Komali could feel the warm embrace of his grandma's arms again.

A knock on the door forced him away from the edge of sleep. He groped for the edge of the bed to pull himself up.

"Huh? Who is it? What do you want?" the prince asked blearily.

"It's Medli. Can I come in, please?" Her voice rang through the door and stirred the fluff of feathers on Komali's neck.

"Huh? Okay, come in," he said, his pose slacking.

Medli opened the door and walked in with her delivery.

Komali shot out of the bed, bewildered by the vision before him._ No way!_ His mouth hung open as he gawked at the large orange pearl, casting mystical light across Medli and him. _It was real this whole time… _

Medli thought for a second. Thinking it more appropriate, she knelt down before the prince and raised the pearl to him. Komali reached his hand out and touched the pearl's glassy surface. Warmth seeped deep into his skin and flowed through his arm. Komali's eyes reflected the pearl, shining and glowing red. He lifted the pearl from Medli's hands and wrapped his arms around it, holding it tight to himself.

"Your father told me to pass this down to you," She began, "Your grandmother gave this to you once. I guess it was taken away for some important reason… But your father wants you to have it now."

The fledgling looked up in disbelief.

"Do you remember what this is?" Medli asked.

Komali searched his dream- _My memory_. Nostalgia touched him at the thought.

"Din's Pearl."

Medli nodded, smiling softly. He seemed so happy to have it. But she remembered what else the chieftain had asked of her, and Medli straightened her expression and tried to recall the sacred words.

"It was passed down to us by the goddesses as a symbol of hope for the lost generation… This is what Valoo and your grandmother told me," Medli began, "The goddesses created and kept watch over an ancient land, prosperous and at peace. But one day, with the threat of an evil man who said he would bring darkness to the world, the goddesses draped the land with rain until it became the bottom of a great sea; they sealed away the evil man and his dark power…

"The goddesses protected the remaining people, creating new land for them to live on. Our ancestors were a part of the survivors," Medli paused and touched the symbol on her sash- different from the symbol on the pearl Komali was still holding close. She had noticed that difference in other places, too. But on she finished:

"Our people were given a pearl from one of the goddesses to guard, a symbol of their power, and were instructed to hand it down for the aide of the hero who would reunite the people again…"

Komali reluctantly looked up from the orange abyss. He was concerned about something.

"That evil man won't come back, will he?"

Medli smiled and shook her head. "The goddesses locked him away forever. You're safe."

"Oh," the fledgling replied. "That's good." He looked back down and stroked the pearl.

"Huh- wait," Komali said, worried again. "I'm not allowed to keep grandma's pearl?"

Medli held back a giggle. "It's yours for now, Komali."

A smile escaped and trickled across the prince's face. _Maybe everything will be alright now. Maybe I could keep the pearl, too._ He admired it some more, growing very fond of it. _I'm the prince around here. It's right that I should have it._ Komali looked back up at Medli. She returned his smile.

"Thank you, Medli…" Komali said sheepishly. In a quick move, he placed the pearl on the carpet and threw his arms around Medli. "You're the best person ever!" Medli laughed and hugged him back, stroking his hair. _He has smiled. Maybe everything can be alright now._ "You're the best too, Komali."


End file.
